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Beautiful Books 2016 - Introduce Your Novel

October 9, 2016

Hissss .... You, the fearless, courageous (and most likely cruel) writer, shiver at the noise. You're frozen with fear. Something is around the corner. It's attack is inevitable. It creeps slowly out and then - The NaNoWriMo monster pounces.

It's NaNo prep month! Time to get our armor ready to face that horrid NaNo monster - and also the time to join in the epic Beautiful Books linkup.

(Ahem, just sayin', I'm writing two novels for NaNo. Yes, I'm a rebel. I'll be doing Beautiful Books for them both - one that I'm temporarily calling The Game and another that's temporarily called All You Remember)

1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had your idea? (The Game) 7/04/16

I'm very exact sometimes XD. I got the idea while driving home from a parade (no idea what gave me the spark of inspiration, but does it really matter? THE IDEA LIVES), and I was totally unprepared and didn't have a notebook on me. So I had to entrust the idea to my forgetful brain and SOMEHOW it survived the trip home.

For All You Remember it was ... uh ... I don't know? I literally can't remember anything about how or when I got this ideas.

AND then sometimes I'm not exact at all XD.

2. Describe what your novel is about! ... is this Savannah-gives-out-spoilers day or something?

Well I suppose I can generous and give you the synopsis I already posted on the NaNoWrimo site show you a little something about The Game *nods*.

A life that was perfect torn to tatters in her dreams. A
missing twin sister that she's always hated. Hallucinations mixing with
real life. A Bus that's appearance means death.

Maria's mind has betrayed her. And the Game will change everything she's ever known, whether she wants it to or not.

But for All You Remember - well, let's just say I really have no idea, something to do with Faeries and magic and stuff my lips are sealed.

3. What is your book's aesthetic? Use words or pictures or whatever you like! Hmm. The Game, it's ... very hard to explain. Let's just say that I can explain better with a picture (even if the picture isn't really spot-on, it's the best I've got) ...

And there ya go. All You Remember takes place all over the world, so I'll just be lazy and give you another collage show you a collage I made for it (I"M OBSESSED WITH COLLAGES, YOU GUYS) ...

4. Introduce us to each of your characters!

UH have I mentioned that I'm going die-hard pantser on this NaNoWriMo novel?

I basically know nothing. About either story. IT'S HALF THE FUN. But (since I'm feeling friendly today) I'll let you know a thing or two about the main character of each story.

(The Game) Maria is about seventeen or so, tall, blonde, and hazel-eyed. She's been living with her friend's family since her mother died. She hates her sister, Silvia, despite the girl's unfailing sweetness - mostly because Silvia partially caused their mother's death. Other than that, she lives a normal life - does fine in school, hangs out with friends. Until she starts seeing things. She calls them hallucinations. Her hallucinations assure her that they're real. She tells them to go away, they're just some weird dream. But then they take her at her word - they infiltrate her dreams and won't let go. She refuses to be fazed until she wakes up with wounds that she has acquired in her dream. Things start getting far too real for comfort.

(ALSO, Maria and Silvia don't have a last name, so any help with that would be appreciated *points down at comment section*.)

(All You Remember) I .. don't even know the main character's name? I know she's not on the short side, but she's not super tall either. Typically quiet - not really an introvert, she just likes to listen. But she can be awfully feisty when she wants to be.

GUYS, I'M NOT PLANNING ANYTHING. Enough said XD.

5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)

Preparing to write? This is a thing?!

I'm a pantser, you guys. Preparing and I are not the best of friends. I don't like preparing. The closest I normally get to preparing is taking all the ideas that have been stewing in the back of my brain and moving them to the front of my brain. And making a picture collage. That's about it XD.

6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel?

Besides writing them and totally acing NaNoWriMo? Probably figuring out all the plot twists I'm going to add. I can't be the only one who internally has a huge party when I figure out THE MOST PERFECT plot twist in the whole wide world.

Plot twists give the story its pretty ripples - they are the coolest ever *nods*. 7. List three things about your novel's setting The Game is mostly set in Maria's dreams and - since we all know how dreams go (HA) - that means that the setting changes A LOT. In one scene there's a forest missing half it's color and in another there's a misty scene where you can hardly see a thing and another takes place at the top of a cliff. I think XD. However, some of it takes place in the real world and looks just about normal (you know, when Maria's not seeing "hallucinations" and all *shrugs*).

I'd call that about three things. And I'm not even going to start on All You Remember (that one takes place all over the world, the end.) 8. What's your character's goal and who (or what) stands in their way?

SO, I'm feeling like I should have just done a post that said I'M PANTSING NANOWRIMO and left it at that.

I don't know either of my character's goals. I can't tell you what stands in their way. That is all. *takes a bow*.

9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?

*sighs* Ah, finally! A question I can answer!

Maria becomes more loving and All You Remember's MC become more outgoing and learns how to stand up for herself (and others).

Look! I do know a bit about my novels! XD

10. What are your book's themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over? Not telling, AND not telling. My lips are sealed.

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SO ... yup.

*crickets*

I'm pantsing NaNoWriMo. Over and out.

~ Savannah Grace

Are you pantsing, plantsing, or plotting NaNoWriMo? I must know *nods*.

Ahaha. Savannah the pantser. ;) I honestly don't know how you do it. :P I'm sort of a control freak sometimes (an INTROVERTED control freak who hates emotions but has them anyway) and I NEED to know a lot about what happens in my novel. I guess you could call me a pretty hardcore plotter. ;)

Ooh. Do you still need a name for All You Remember's MC? Because it sounds sort of fairytale-ish, and I have some names that I think would be good options: Haven, Harmony, Lyric... that sort of thing, I guess. :P

Also! I LOVE ALL YOU REMEMBER'S TITLE. Really awesome.

I'M SO EXCITED TO DO NANOWRIMO WITH YOU. I'm going to be super busy and my motivation will be dyinggg so I'll need tons of encouragement. xP Thirty days of the very definition of insanity, here we come. xD

Yup, Savannah the pantser XD. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DO IT, EITHER. We'll see how it turns out *nods*. OOH, an introverted control freak. That sounds so dangerous.

OH MY GOODNESS, EMILY DROWN. I think you just gave me the name for All You Remember's MC. Haven ... Haven ... sounds right! THANK YOU SO MUCH! And I'm so glad you like the title *nods*.

ME TOO! Don't worry, I'll be sending you plenty of encouraging messages (and we can be sounding boards for each other's maddening I-HAVE-NO-WORDS feelings XD) - NaNoWriMo is going to be a BLAST! *highfive*

OOH. Well great, then! :D Isn't Haven a lovely name? I don't know why I like it so much, but I just do. <3 (I may or may not want to name one of my future kids that and am aggressively hoping my taste in names doesn't change. xD)

Ah, thanks! I'm so excited to do this thing with you. *fistbump* And yes, we can cry to each other when we just have-no-words. xD

Every year I tell myself I'm going to do a proper pants... but then NaNo rolls around and I end up doing an old plot idea that I've been working on for five years and it has the beginning, middle, end, most of the characters, and three sequels planned. Nothing written down ... but everything planned.

And this year I'm going rebel and continuing work on a book that is already started but I keep ignoring in favor of more "pressing" stories.

Fun post, Savannah! It makes no sense how you can be sure you have a story, but know almost nothing about it, but it happens to be ALL the time! I don't usually start writing until I have a pretty good grasp on the storyline, but sometimes I just start writing and see what happens. I hope NaNo goes well!!

Thanks, Hanna! Isn't it confusing how that happens? I DON'T UNDERSTAND MY BRAIN HALF THE TIME *sighs*. Some November (when you won't be so busy) we should do NaNoWriMo together - I think it would be fun! ALSO I heard that you guys picked out Yang Yang's name and I LOVE it! Henry fits him so well :D. I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS!

SO INTIMADATING. And I have so much school that will need to be done in November. I'll be lucky to get out of NaNoWriMo alive! XD And YES to snippets! I'm planning on doing a NaNoWriMo wrap-up post of sorts when it's over, so I'm sure you'll see some then *nods*.

BUT SAVANNAH GRACE THESE STORIES. I know you didn't give us MUCH information (you tease you :P) but from what I've seen just...AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!! THESE SOUND AMAZING. Hallucinations coming true and faeries and things. o.o I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. Your ideas seem so UNIQUE. Such intriguing plots. Also your collages are drool-worthy. I just want to stare at them forever. O___O

Also, also, Silvia and Maria are such pretty names! But as far as last names... I have no idea. I never write contemporaries so never have to actually think up REAL last names. If I come up with them at all... *cough*

I totally have a party when a plot twist reveals itself!!! It's the most exciting thing! That's the magical thing about pantsing. It's like the story writes itself, and it's amazing. BUT. I actually go to ridiculous lengths plotting my NaNo novels so I can write like a fiend without having to come up with what happens next. But I still adore pantsing. And I've even plants. They all have their pros and cons! But there is something magical about pantsing. It'll probably always be my favorite.

OOH THANK YOU, CHRISTINE! *hugs* I'm SO excited to write theses stories - I'm glad you like the plots/collages! I want it to be November NOW so that we can all go insane together!

I hate coming up with last names, I only do it for a third of the characters I create XD.

HURRAH for pantsing! It's so much fun *nods*. I can't stand bogging down my story, and I feel like plotting does that. So it's pantsing for me XD. Plus, it's like you get a surprise every time you pick up your pen. IT'S SO FUN.

I am soooooo excited to read this IT IS GOING TO BE AMAZING. AHHHH! I wanted to comment when I read this earlier but I hadn't posted my "announcement" yet so now I can say MY NANO BOOK IS ABOUT DREAMS TOOOOOO!!!! WE CAN FANGIRL OVER THE EPICNESS OF DREAMS! so much exciiiiite. *flails wildly* I CAN'T WAIT TO CHEER YOU ON!

I SAW YOUR POST AND I'M SO EXCITED! I've actually wanted you to write The Dream Walkers REALLY bad, so when I saw the announcement I MAY have gasped, just a little bit XD. We are both writing about dreams. Dreams are epic. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EPIC NANOWRIMO *highfive*.

EEEEEEEP I AM SO EXCITED!! AND WOW YOU ARE SO AMBITIOUS DOING TWO BOOKS FOR NANO. YOU DESERVE ALL THE CHOCOLATE CHIP WAFFLES OMG. <3 Both of these books sound sooo epic and I basically jusT WANT TO PRE-ORDER THEM NOW OK??? OK COOL.

Hmmm I think Knight or Price would be a good last name for Maria and Silvia...kind of has a ring to it? ;) LOL THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THIS POST IS BASICALLY DESCRIBING MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. also your book aesthetics are positively lovely <3333 AND OMG I AM SUCH A PLOTTER THEREFORE I AM FEELING VERY SCARED AND UNPREPARED RIGHT NOW EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A WHOLE OUTLINE.

I might have to do this link up soon... it looks like fun. <3 *flails excitedly*

Ooh, Knight and Price ... I really like Knight, that will be one I think about *nodnod*. Thanks!

ISN'T IT?! NaNoWriMo is a terrifying monster that NO WRITER CAN HIDE FROM. *tries to anyways* I'm so glad you liked the aesthetics! Oh dear - an unprepared plotter *gives you all the waffles you need*.

WHO IS THIS MYSTIC WHO HAS HYPNOTIZED MY SISTER INTO SPILLING ALL THE SPOILER THINGS. I love this post so crazy much!! THE GAME. Ohhh man. You need to get writing this story, Savannah. It is going to be the most epic thing...because seriously, if Killing Snow turned out so good, I'm almost scared to see what The Game is going to be like. XD AND YOU NEEDS TO SPILL MORE THINGS ABOUT 'ALL YOU REMMEBER.' I'm using a lot of capitals in this post...BUT IT'S ALL SO EXCITING! Can't wait to read you next master-piece! (*whispers* hopefully The Game?? ;)) -Ariel

Ah, pantsing. A fun way to write a novel but it does make questions difficult to answer. I love what you've shared about both of your projects (I can't imagine doing two projects for NaNo!), but especially The Game. I'm intrigued by the character dynamics between Maria and Silvia...